Utility Monster

The Utility Monster is a thought experiment in ethics and economics that questions how we measure happiness or total benefit. Imagine a creature that gains vastly greater satisfaction from every unit of resources it consumes compared to others. If we allocate resources based solely on maximizing overall happiness, the Utility Monster would take everything, because its benefit per unit is so high. This challenges the idea that happiness should be distributed equally or fairly, highlighting issues in utilitarian ethics about whether maximizing total happiness can justify ignoring individual rights or fairness.